New VW e-Golf heading for Geneva

The Volkswagen e-Golf is set to debut at next month's Geneva auto show.

PHOTO: Handout, Volkswagen

By John LeBlanc, National Post

Originally published: February 21, 2013

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Despite a growing lack of confidence within the industry, shrinking taxpayer support and less-than-stellar retail sales, some automakers are still forging ahead with pure-electric vehicles.

Take for instance Germany’s Volkswagen. In the midst of rolling out its new, seventh-generation compact Golf family, it just announced details of the new, all-electric e-Golf before its official unveiling in Geneva next month.

Apparently, the e-Golf will have a 175 kilometre range using a 26.5 kW battery that makes 114 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, with only a five-hour recharge time from a household outlet. We’ve already driven the MkVII Golf, set to arrive in Canada sometime in 2014. But we’re still not sure if the electric version will make it to our shores.